If you are reading this announcement, chances are you have a sick guinea pig. This board (and any board on the internet) is no substitute for competent veterinary care. If your guinea pig is seriously ill, DO NOT wait for someone here to answer your questions, but please contact a vet immediately!

The following are signs of a serious problem:

Not eating

Crusty eyes or nose

Wheezing or labored breathing

Sitting hunched in a corner

Bleeding from any opening

Blood in pee, squeeking while peeing

Severe diarrhea

Bloat

Severe injury

Head tilt while walking

Drooling, weightloss

Poisoning

Delivery problems

Hairloss (can be serious)

Please see a vet right away if your pet shows any of these signs or if you feel there is something wrong with your pet.

For a more complete list of the signs of illness and more information on what may be wrong and their severity, please check the Emergency Medical Guide.

And for help locating a good vet, read Finding a Veterinarian. Each guinea pig owner is advised to find a competent vet before you need one. Be observant and weigh each of your pigs on a regular basis (once a week) in order to catch some of these problems before they become life threatening.

The above information is accessible from the index at Guinea Lynx. A link appears on every page of the Forums (check the buttons on the top right).

Both Guinea Lynx and the Forums can be searched for information -- Guinea Lynx, by using the search feature at the site (on the side bar) and the Forums by using the Search tool (a button appears at the top of every forum page).